Quick Tips

On a whim one day, I decided to throw a pack of $1 bleach tablets in my shopping basket at the Dollar Tree. I didn’t think much of it when I dropped both of the tabs in my toilet tank.

A few weeks later, the chain in the toilet tank broke. I didn’t put two and two together until recently. The bleach degraded the original chain, causing it to break, and eventually led to other annoying issues. No wonder those bleach tabs are only $1 — don’t use them in your toilet tank!

I use my Chromecast so much that I barely even watch regular television anymore. So when my Chromecast isn’t showing up or my cast to screen icon is missing on my device, I will do what’s necessary to get it working again. Here are a few troubleshooting tips that have worked for me in the past:

Is the Chromecast Plugged In?

I know, I know, this is so obvious, but I can’t tell you how many times I realized my cast to screen icon was missing because I forgot to plug the Chromecast device in!

I didn’t realize until this year that it was possible to cast screen from my laptop to my Chromecast device so that I can watch shows on my television. The option is available in your web browser. The video silently plays in the background and shows up on your television screen while you navigate other things on your laptop.

I’ve tried all three major browsers (Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla) and in my experience Chrome has been the best for casting shows to the TV. Here are the simple steps:

When you get to work first thing in the morning, sometimes you just want something quick to eat that will give you a boost in addition to your coffee. Buying cheap fast food on the way to work isn’t the right move, because it can get expensive and it’s not very healthy. Here’s a quick breakfast idea for work that you can pop into the microwave and take to your desk:

What to include in bowl:

1-2 eggs

1-2 slices of turkey bacon

1/2 slice of your favorite cheese

Take all of the ingredients out of the bowl when you get to work. Crack the egg in the small bowl, add a little pepper and stir. Cover it up with the lid or a paper towel. Wrap the turkey bacon in a couple of towels. Microwave both for about 45 seconds or until the egg is fluffy (I love microwaved eggs, so fluffy and delicious). Put the cheese on top of the egg and allow it a few seconds to melt. Then, grab a fork and enjoy! The total cost per week is roughly $7 — $4 for the turkey bacon, $1.50-$2 for the eggs, $1.50 for a quarter pound of cheese at the deli — which works out to a little over a $1 a day.

No one likes feeling constipated — that tightness and pressure when you know you’re well overdue for a bowel movement. Here is a constipation remedy tip that may help you get some relief next time you go to the bathroom:

Play the sound of a ticking clock or dripping water.

Tick, tock, tick, tock…
Drip, drop, drip, drop…

Close your eyes and focus on that sound while you are trying to go to the bathroom and you may be surprised at the results.

We all know how delicious bacon is — whether it’s with eggs and toast in the morning, on a sandwich with tomato and lettuce for lunch or mixed into a savory sauce for dinner. But as good as it tastes, many brands of bacon contain nitrates (preservatives) that aren’t good for our health — especially in large quantities. Bacon also contains a lot of excess sodium.

Quick Tip: before you fry up your bacon, rinse each slice under warm water to remove some of the nitrates and extra fat on the outer layer. You can feel it coming off on your fingers. Rinsing the bacon also reduces shrinkage when you fry it.